


Sia Maledetto

by groolover



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: slythindor100, HP: EWE, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-03 06:52:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 9,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1067375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/groolover/pseuds/groolover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry gets cursed. But the curse is a bit of a mystery, which makes it quite hard to remove. Luckily Draco is an expert cursebreaker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is being written as part of [Slythindor100](http://slythindor100.livejournal.com)'s "25 days of Draco and Harry" challenge for 2013, which involves writing a minimum of 100 words on each of the first 25 days of December, based on a picture prompt posted daily. It's set in 2013, which means that Harry and Draco are both 33 years old.
> 
> The title (and a very small part of the story) is from Verdi's opera _Simon Boccanegra_ , which I performed last weekend. The idea for this story occurred to me while I was waiting to sing.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Prompt for 1st December: [Diagon Alley in winter](http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121210201654/harrypotter/images/c/cf/DiagonAlleyNorthSideWinter.png)

**Sia Maledetto - part 1**

"I can’t believe Diagon Alley hasn’t got any Christmas lights up," grumbled Harry. "It looks just the same as yesterday!"

"There’s no pleasing you, is there?" said Ginny, grinning. "You’ve been complaining for weeks about all the Christmas displays in the Muggle shops!"

"Yes, but then it was _November_ ," Harry pointed out. "I don’t want Christmas all the year round. But I do expect it when it’s finally December." He stamped his feet as they reached the door of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, trying to dislodge some of the snow from his boots.

"Well, you know wizards aren’t quite as obsessed with Christmas as Muggles," said Ginny. "I’m sure you’ll get your lights eventually. I bet George has got something planned, haven’t you, George?"

"Of course I’ve got something planned. I’ve _always_ got something planned. Which particular plan are you curious about, though?" asked George, who had appeared the moment they stepped into the shop. Harry, not for the first time, wondered whether George had some sort of spell that enabled him to do this.

"Christmas decorations," Ginny told him. 

George beamed. "Little sister, my Christmas decorations this year are _awesome_ ," he told her. "I’m just waiting till sunset to turn them on. Better effect."

Harry grinned, feeling his grouchy mood lift somewhat. "Brilliant," he said. "I’ll make sure I’m back in time for that, then. I just popped in to say hello – I need to get back to the office for a meeting."

"You know it’s Sunday, right?" said George. "Can’t it wait till tomorrow?"

"I already tried telling him that," said Ginny. "I just got the usual _Head Auror important urgent top secret blah blah blah_ stuff. It’s not worth arguing, trust me."

"Sorry, Gin," said Harry, smiling ruefully. "I had fun this afternoon, though – it was good to catch up. Say hi to Neville for me, yeah?"

"I will," promised Ginny. "But only if you say you’ll come round for tea sometime. He still thinks you don’t like seeing us together." At Harry’s look of surprise, she shook her head. "Don’t worry, I know that’s not true, and so does he, really," she said. "It’s just one of those irrational fears he’s been unable to entirely banish from his mind. Even though you and I split up so long ago."

"The mind is a strange thing," Harry agreed. "I’ll try and visit in the next few days if I can. But right now I need to dash. See you. Bye, George!"

He gave them both a quick hug and strode quickly towards the door. As he opened it, the freezing air outside stunned him for a second, so he was still a little bleary-eyed when someone ran up to him and shouted "SIA MALEDETTO!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry tries to find out about the curse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for 2nd December: [Red Christmas baubles](http://mit-kth.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Red-Christmas-decorations-christmas-22228016-1920-1200.jpg2098258254.jpeg)
> 
> If you want to hear what the curse sounds like, here’s a 1-minute extract from the opera: [Sia maledetto!](https://soundcloud.com/jocelyn-lavin/sia-maledetto)

**Sia Maledetto – part 2**

Harry blinked and tried to get his eyes to focus. The man in front of him didn’t appear to be using a wand, but was pointing at Harry with both hands; part of Harry’s mind recognised the shape the man’s fingers were forming, but stored it away to consider later. As Harry stared, the man muttered "Sia maledetto… sia maledetto… sia maledetto", the words becoming increasingly hoarse with each repetition. 

"What do you…" began Harry, but the man ran off around the corner opposite the Magical Menagerie.

"What the bloody hell was that?" asked George, from behind Harry.

"I have no idea," said Harry, still peering towards the end of Diagon Alley. "He just came running up and shouted at me, and then he ran off."

"A spell?" wondered Ginny. 

"I don’t think so," said Harry. "At least, if it was then it was a wandless one, and it wasn’t one I’d heard before. Sia maledetto. Ring any bells with either of you?"

They both shook their heads, and Ginny ran her gaze over Harry worriedly. "Are you OK?" she asked. "You look a bit grey. What d’you think he did to you?"

"I feel… normal, I think," said Harry, considering this. "No pain, anyway. I feel very tired, I suppose, but that’s no different from usual."

"You should probably get checked, though, just in case," Ginny advised. "It could be a delayed-action curse. Or one that gives you some horrible disease that has no symptoms until it’s too late."

Harry laughed. "I think if there _was_ such a curse, I’d have encountered it by now," he said. "Although… actually, maybe not. In all the time I’ve been an Auror, I don’t think a month has gone by without some criminal coming up with some new way to be nasty."

"Exactly," said George. "But it’s probably nothing, as you say. Just some idiot whose mates dared him to go and shout at Harry Potter. Seems unlikely he could have done anything serious without a wand."

"Well, I’ll see what Hermione thinks," said Harry. "It’ll have to wait till after my meeting, though. I’m already late. I’ll owl you both if there’s any news, OK?"

*******

"I think it’s Italian," said Hermione, two hours later. "But I’ve no idea what it’s supposed to _do_. You’re sure you feel fine?"

"I’m sure," said Harry. "Well, apart from being blinded by the amount of sparkly stuff in this room." They were in Hermione’s office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, on the floor above Harry’s. The office was decorated to within an inch of its life, with tinsel and baubles in every nook and cranny, paper chains festooned across the ceiling, and a huge Christmas tree by the door.

"Blame Carole for that," said Hermione. "My new assistant," she went on, at Harry’s puzzled look. "She insisted on coming in last night to do it. I think it’s a bit much, but she was so keen that I didn’t have the heart to stop her. She was horrified when I told her I didn’t have time to decorate."

"I think it’s nice," said Harry. "Do you think she’d like to do mine, too? I’d ask Helen, but she’s a bit… Well, she’s a great PA, but I don’t think decorating is her sort of thing."

"I’m sure Carole would be thrilled to be asked," said Hermione. "But you should probably have a word with Helen first to check she won’t be upset."

"Definitely," said Harry. "So, am I in the clear?" On hearing what had happened, Hermione had been predictably anxious, and had insisted on scanning Harry with every investigative spell she could think of. Everything appeared to be normal, however.

"Well, I suppose you don’t need to go to St Mungo’s just yet," said Hermione. "Just promise me you will if there’s any change, though, won’t you?"

"Of course," said Harry. "So what do the words actually mean?"

"Something like _may he be cursed_ ," Hermione told him. "Which is slightly scary but not very helpful."

"Hmm. But you couldn’t find any evidence that I _have_ been cursed," Harry pointed out. 

Hermione shrugged. "That doesn’t prove you _haven’t_ , as you well know," she said. "I think we need to double check with a specialist. And see if we can find out who that man was."

"You mean there are people who know stuff you don’t?" said Harry, grinning. "Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Weasley?"

"Shush, you," she said, hitting him with her pen. "There just isn’t _time_ to be an expert at everything. Since I’ve been head of department, my research has just about stopped entirely. I miss it, actually. But I do at least know lots of reliable people to _ask_ about things."

"Who’s the best curse specialist, then?" wondered Harry. "Is it someone I’ve met?"

"You could say that," Hermione told him. "It’s Draco Malfoy."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione tells Harry about Draco.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for 3rd December: [Owl flying](http://indykids.net/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/owl-flying.jpg)
> 
> **Author's Notes:** Those who know me won’t be surprised that I’m putting Manchester into the story again! There aren’t enough stories set there. Also, sorry that this is moving a bit slowly. I’ve had the lurgy all week and haven’t had the energy to write as much as I wanted to. Hopefully this will pass soon.

**Sia Maledetto - part 3**

Harry stared at her. "Malfoy?" he said. "Now there’s a name I’ve not heard in a while. I presumed he’d left the country or something."

"Not quite," said Hermione. "But he did move away. He’s lived up in Manchester for years."

"That explains why I haven’t seen him," mused Harry. "So you’re in touch with him? You’ve never mentioned him."

"I haven’t seen him much either, but yes, I’ve used him a few times when we’ve been stuck on a curse. He really knows his stuff." 

"So what’s he like these days? I was about to ask if he was still the same arrogant prat he was at school, but actually he wasn’t at all like that the last time I spoke to him. Which was… let’s see, fifteen years ago? At his trial."

"He’s… well, he’s grown up a lot since then, obviously, and I like him a lot more than I used to. I don’t know much about what he’s done since the war, but he works as a freelance cursebreaking consultant, and he’s been very useful to the department. He’s always very businesslike and polite with me. I haven’t had to punch him in the face even once. Bit disappointing, actually." 

"Huh. Well, OK. You trust him, then?"

"I do. And I think he’s definitely the person to ask about this. Shall I owl him and see if he’s available?"

"Go on then." Harry watched as Hermione scribbled rapidly on a bit of parchment, which she then took over to the window to attach to an owl who was perched nearby. 

"It’s very handy, keeping an owl in your office," commented Harry. "I must try that. Usually I just send Helen to the owlery."

"It _is_ handy, but it gets me in trouble with my assistants," admitted Hermione. "They’re always telling me that I waste my time doing things that I should be getting _them_ to do."

Harry laughed. "You know, I always used to think that being the boss would mean no-one would tell me off," he said. "It wasn’t until I got my first assistant that I realised how untrue that was."

At that moment, the owl swooped back in through the window and landed on its perch. "Bloody hell, that was fast," said Harry, impressed. "Has it really been to Manchester and back?"

"I’ve given up trying to work out how owls do what they do," said Hermione. "And particularly this one. She’s the fastest one I’ve ever had." She went over to take the scroll from the owl’s leg. "OK, he says he’d be happy to try and help. He’s adjusted his wards so you can use his fireplace. The address is Apartment 4606, Beetham Tower, Manchester. Do you want me to come with you?"

Harry blinked. "Erm, no, I’ll be OK," he said. "He’s expecting me right now, then, is he?"

"Yep. No time like the present," said Hermione encouragingly. "Let me know how you get on, won’t you?"

"Of course." Harry picked up his coat and stepped into the fireplace.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally meet Draco.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short one tonight due to the aforementioned lurgy, sorry. But I am taking the day off tomorrow in an effort to recuperate, so I hope to write a lot more then.

**Sia Maledetto - part 4**

"Hello, Potter," said a voice that couldn’t possibly belong to Draco Malfoy, as Harry stumbled from the fireplace. The voice was deeper than he’d been expecting – not exactly a bass, but definitely a baritone, thought Harry. It hadn’t been that deep last time they met, had it?

He shook himself, ostensibly to remove the dust and ashes from the fire. "Hello, Malfoy," he said. "But please would you call me Harry? 'Potter' always makes me feel like a slightly naughty schoolboy."

"Harry it is," said Malfoy. "And, ditto. My surname isn’t something I’m particularly proud of, so I tend to go by Draco these days."

"Hello, then, Draco," said Harry, smiling, and held out his hand, getting his first proper look at Draco while they shook. He was wearing a chunky Fair Isle sweater and jeans, and he’d definitely aged well. Not quite as pointy, Harry decided.

"Wow, what an amazing view," he exclaimed, noticing it for the first time. The apartment had windows all along one wall and, although the windows were mostly currently covered in ice, Harry realised that they must be very high up. "What floor are we on?"

"The forty-sixth," Draco told him. "There’s only the penthouse above us. It’s great, isn’t it? You can see the whole of Manchester, and right across to the Pennines on one side and the Irish Sea on the other."

"I like it," said Harry, and realised he wasn’t just talking about the view.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco explains what he knows about the curse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for 5th December: [Staircase and Christmas tree](http://www.homefurnishings.com/assets/2009/11/30/staircase_tree_garlandart.jpg)
> 
> The [Beetham Tower](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetham_Tower,_Manchester), where Draco lives, is the tallest building in Manchester (in fact, the tallest building in the UK outside London). It has a 'shelf' about halfway up; everything below that shelf is the Hilton Hotel, and everything above is luxury apartments. I would LOVE to live there!

**Sia Maledetto - part 5**

"So, you think you’ve been cursed, but you’re not sure, and if you have been cursed then you don’t know what the curse actually does," Draco summed up half an hour later, after Harry had explained what had happened in Diagon Alley. They were seated side by side on a very comfortable leather sofa, and Draco had served coffee and scones, which were definitely adding to the relaxed atmosphere. 

"That’s about the size of it," Harry agreed. "So, have you heard of this curse before?"

"Well… yes. And no," said Draco.

"That’s not exactly the clearest of answers."

"It’s accurate, though. You see, I’ve heard of it as a _Muggle_ curse, but never as an actual magical one. You say you have no idea who this guy was?"

"None, but he can’t have been a Muggle, can he? Not in Diagon Alley. Anyway, do Muggle curses actually work?"

"There’s no evidence that they do – it seems likely that any ill effects are caused by the recipient’s fear. But that fear can be quite extreme. In Italy, people have believed in curses for centuries, and Hermione is right: 'sia maledetto' just means 'may he be cursed'. Maybe the actual curse – if indeed the guy _was_ trying to actually curse you – would have been done with a gesture."

"Wait, he _did_ do a gesture!" said Harry, remembering. "He stuck out his index finger and little finger and pointed his hand downwards. What does that mean?"

"Like this?" asked Draco, demonstrating. Harry nodded.

"Hmm," said Draco. "Very odd. That’s called 'mano cornuta', and it’s believed to ward off evil. It’s a protective gesture rather than a curse."

"But what would he be trying to protect himself from?" wondered Harry. "It was him that cursed _me_!"

"Well, personally, if I was planning to curse Harry Potter, I’d want all the protection I could get," said Draco, grinning. "I don’t remember you as having a particularly violent temper, but to people who only know you as the Saviour of Everything, you’re probably quite terrifying."

"Very funny," said Harry, but he grinned bashfully. "So what are your thoughts?"

"I’m thinking that it’s very odd that it feels so natural for you to be here in my flat, and that you look… well, you always looked good, but now you look a lot better. And that the gobsmacked look on your face is extremely amusing." 

"Your thoughts _about the curse_ , as you well know," said Harry, trying not to blush and totally failing.

"Sorry, couldn’t resist," said Draco, his eyes twinkling. "OK. I think that if it’s a Muggle curse, it won’t have any effect, so you needn’t worry. If it’s a wizard curse, it’s not one I’ve ever encountered, so I’d have to do a bit of research to establish what it does and how to remove it. In the meantime, you just need to be vigilant. Keep a record of anything out of the ordinary that happens to you, however minor it may seem, and let me know ASAP. I’ll keep in touch with you in any case, though."

"OK, I can do that," said Harry. "Although I was kind of hoping you might have some sort of all-powerful curse-detecting spell."

"Sadly, there’s no such thing," Draco told him. "I can detect whether you’re under a _specific_ curse, but I can only do that for curses I know about. Although I do know about quite a lot of them."

"It sounds like it would take ages to check, then," commented Harry.

"Well, I don’t need to check them _all_ ," said Draco. "Lots of them have physical effects that you’re obviously not suffering from. But it will take a little while to check for the others, yes. I think it’s very unlikely that this guy _did_ do any of them – or any other real curse, for that matter – because not many people can do wandless magic, can they? But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t check anyway. Are you in a hurry? I can do it now if you’re not."

"Now is fine," said Harry. "If you’re sure you don’t mind, that is. And, speaking of doing your job, I _will_ pay you for your services, don’t worry. Just let me know how much I owe you."

"Usually I just invoice when the job’s complete, but if you prefer you could pay in instalments," said Draco. 

"No, an invoice is fine," said Harry. "OK. What do you need me to do? Do I need to stand up?"

"No, stay where you are. It’s better if you’re relaxed."

"This _is_ a very relaxing sofa. I apologise in advance if I fall asleep."

"It’s fine by me if you do. I promise not to take advantage of you."

Harry’s eyes shot open, but he relaxed as he saw Draco’s grin. "Maybe I wouldn’t mind," he found himself murmuring. The last thing he saw before he closed his eyes again was the expression of surprise on Draco’s face.

Harry was on the verge of sleep, but he found himself wondering about Draco’s life. He’d never imagined Draco living in a place like this. The flat was very modern and full of Muggle technology: in this room alone, there was a TV, Sky box, DVD player, laptop and printer. There was no Christmas tree or decorations but, Harry reasoned, it _was_ still only the first of December. Still, if he’d been asked to picture Draco Malfoy’s home on the first of December, he would certainly have imagined a brightly-lit Christmas tree. Maybe next to the fancy staircase in Malfoy Manor. What _had_ happened to Malfoy Manor? Draco had certainly still been living there when Harry had returned his wand to him, but he’d never had occasion to go there since. 

"All done," said Draco, jerking Harry out of his semi-stupor. "And I don’t know whether you’ll think this is good news or bad news, but you’re definitely not under any curse I’ve ever encountered before."

"It’s a bit of both, I suppose," said Harry. "At least if we knew if was a recognised curse you’d be able to remove it."

"True," said Draco. "But it does mean that we’ll have to spend a bit more time together, and I find I’m quite pleased about that. How about a drink?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cocktails and chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the most helpful of prompts today – why did I say yesterday there were no Christmas decorations in Draco’s flat?!?
> 
> Prompt for 6th December: [Christmas stockings on the mantlepiece](http://c.tadst.com/gfx/600x400/christmas.jpg?1)

**Sia Maledetto - part 6**

Harry smiled. "Sure," he said. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, there’s a bar down on the 23rd floor, or we could go somewhere else if you prefer. But it’s icy cold outside, and the bar will be noisy. So I was thinking we could just stay here and chat, since we seem to be getting along better than either of us might have expected."

"We do, don’t we? Maybe we’ve both grown up. Yes, please, a drink would be great. I want to know how you ended up here."

"It’s a deal," said Draco, standing. "I’ll make cocktails. Any preferences?"

"Surprise me," said Harry. And he did indeed raise his eyebrows when Draco returned a few minutes later, carrying two glasses filled with beige-coloured liquid topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

"Mudslide," said Draco, at Harry’s enquiring glance. "Enjoy!"

Harry took a sip, and then a slurp, and then several more slurps. "This is really good," he said, licking his lips. "So, how did you end up in Manchester?"

"The short version is that it seemed like a good idea when someone suggested it, and it turned out it _was_ a good idea, and I’ve been here ever since," said Draco, who was apparently quite amused at Harry’s slurping, if the look on his face was anything to go by. "It just seemed like a good idea to make a break after the war, and get away from all the places where I was well-known for all the wrong reasons. But I wanted to be in a big city, so since London was out of the question it seemed obvious to try Manchester. I was told the wizarding community here is very welcoming, and that’s definitely true."

"You know, I was quite surprised when I found there were wizarding communities all over the place," said Harry, remembering. "You wouldn’t believe how long I thought all wizards lived in either London, Hogsmeade, Godric’s Hollow or Ottery St Catchpole."

Draco laughed. "I suppose I can understand that," he said. 

"I still want to know how you ended up as a cursebreaker," said Harry. "And everything else about your life, too. But first, I’m dying of curiosity: whose are those Christmas stockings on the mantlepiece, and why are they there when you haven’t put any other Christmas decorations up?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco talk. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that Draco knows a lot more about Harry's life than vice versa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for 7th December: [Trafalgar Square](http://london.langhamhotels.co.uk/images/christmas_break_london_tllon_en.jpg)

**Sia Maledetto – part 7**

"I was actually just starting to put my decorations up when I got Hermione’s owl," Draco said. "I’d really prefer not to have any, but I got sick of explaining that to clients."

"You work from here, then? You don’t have an office?"

"I did think about getting an office when I first started, but I don’t really need one. And actually I don’t often have clients here in any case. But sometimes it’s more convenient for them to come to me. Like now, for example. I… have to admit I felt more comfortable meeting you on my own turf."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "What did you think might happen?" he wondered. Draco looked a little uncomfortable now, in fact. At least, if the very faint flush on his cheeks was anything to go by.

"To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect," Draco told him. "I was hoping we could gloss over our past differences and be civilised. But, just in case we couldn’t, I knew I’d feel better if we were here."

"I suppose that makes sense," Harry admitted. "I think we’ve been perfectly civilised, don’t you?"

"Indeed," said Draco. "I might almost believe you were a gentleman."

Harry laughed. "Well, I wouldn’t go that far! But you haven’t answered my question: whose are the Christmas stockings?"

"Go and look in them," Draco instructed.

His curiosity piqued, Harry did so. A moment later, he looked back at Draco, puzzled. "Why are they all full of pebbles?"

"Because if they’re empty they don’t hang as well," said Draco. Harry looked at him, baffled. "They’re not anyone’s," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "A lot of my clients are… a bit old-fashioned, and they assume I have a wife and children, and I… find it convenient to let them. And the stockings help with that belief."

Harry stared at him. "That’s possibly the most insane thing I’ve ever heard," he announced. "What’s wrong with not having a wife and kids? Surely no-one would judge you for being single?"

Draco’s flush deepened. "It’s not just that," he said. "I’m gay, and I’m never sure how strangers will take that if they find out, and I suppose I’ve always been a bit paranoid about what people think of me, especially since the war. That’s the main reason I moved to Manchester, after all. So it’s sort of become second nature to hide stuff from strangers."

Harry considered this. "Well, I suppose I can understand that, a bit, but I think it’s a bit sad that you still feel you need to do that. Although I’m oddly proud that you’re not hiding it from _me_."

"Well, you’re not a stranger, are you?" said Draco, smiling. "Plus, I happen to know that you’re gay too, so maybe it felt a bit easier."

Harry grinned ruefully. "I was about to ask how on earth you knew that, but I suppose I do get mentioned in the Prophet from time to time, don’t I?"

"You could say that," said Draco. "And I must admit that I’ve occasionally quizzed Hermione a little bit when Rita Skeeter didn’t include enough details for my liking."

"Ah, Rita. I try and keep things from her, but she usually finds out soon enough. So you know…"

"… That you’ve only had one serious partner since you came out, and that ended amicably a few years ago, and since then you’ve apparently not seen anyone, so you’re currently single. Yes."

"Wow. It sounds, erm, quite soap-opera-ish when you put it like that."

"Hey, it’s not just me. People do still talk about you quite a lot, you know."

"Even up here?"

"What, you think Manchester’s the back of beyond? It’s the UK’s second city, whatever Birmingham may claim. It’s got the biggest wizarding community outside London. And you’re still the biggest name in the wizarding world, whether you like it or not."

Harry sighed. "I _don’t_ like it. I never have. But I suppose I’m used to it. Anyway, you have me at a disadvantage. I don’t know anything about your personal life. I know there’s no wife and kids, but do you have a partner?"

"Not at the moment," said Draco. "I did, though, until last Christmas. In fact, we almost got married. He took me to London for the weekend, and it was lovely – we saw a couple of shows, and went out for some lovely meals, and at the end of it he proposed to me in Trafalgar Square. Right by the Christmas tree. I can still picture the lights from the tree reflecting off the water in the fountains."

"So what happened?

"He broke my heart."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco explains what happened with his ex-boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for 8th December: [Ice rink](http://25.media.tumblr.com/73730957d5432d5883ad9f0c8777f8ef/tumblr_mny6m9WWaK1rtq44ao1_500.jpg)

**Sia Maledetto – part 8**

"What happened?" asked Harry. "Or, if you don’t want to talk about it, I understand."

"Oh, it’s fine," said Draco. "It was me that mentioned it, after all. And I’m over it now. I just… I was so _stupid_. I really believed he cared about me. But it turned out he just wanted to get his hands on the Malfoy fortune."

"Ah. I’m sorry. And what made you realise?"

"My parents decided to start the new year by going to live in our villa in Italy – they’d had enough of the English weather – and Julian assumed I’d be moving back to the Manor. We’d been there a few times to visit them, of course, and it seems that Julian was looking forward to living there after we were married. When I explained – again – that I’d moved up here because I had such bad memories of that place, and had no intention of ever living there again, he… well, there was quite a row, and he moved out that very night. I’ve seen him out on the town once or twice since, but we haven’t spoken."

"Well, it sounds like good riddance, but I’m sorry you were hurt in the process. How long were you with him?"

"About six months. I met him in a bar on Canal Street on my birthday. It seemed like a chance meeting at the time – I didn’t even realise he was a wizard until next time I saw him – but when I look back I realise that he probably knew who I was before he spoke to me, even though he acted all surprised when he found I was rich."

"I don’t imagine that’s something you’d necessarily blurt out to strangers, is it, though?"

"No, but he soon cottoned on when I brought him up here," Draco pointed out. "These apartments are… well, not cheap."

Harry looked around. "I suppose I should have realised that," he said. He stood up and went to the window. "It really is an amazing view. Which way are we facing?"

"West," Draco told him. "That’s why this apartment is the most expensive one on this floor. The sunsets are _spectacular_."

"I’m sorry I missed today’s," Harry said. "But maybe I’ll see one from here soon. Listen, I should really get going. I’ve got an early start tomorrow, and I still have some work to do tonight before I can go to bed."

"Aren’t you the boss? You should get your minions to do more," said Draco, moving to join Harry at the window.

"I know, I know," said Harry. "I do always mean to. But it’s often quicker to do stuff myself."

Draco glared at him. "I’m sure you’ve heard all the counter-arguments to _that_ theory, haven’t you? But I will repeat them to you anyway. Not tonight, though, don’t worry."

"Yes, mum," said Harry, grinning. "So what’s the plan with this possibly-not-a-curse?"

"I’ll do some research, just to double-check that it’s not just a curse I haven’t encountered," said Draco. "I’ll update you tomorrow evening, if that’s convenient. In the meantime, you need to be observant – make a note of anything out of the ordinary that happens to you. But I think the most productive line of enquiry might be to find the guy who cast it. I assume you have access to a Pensieve?"

"Of course," said Harry. "I was going to make copies of the memory at the office anyway, so I can see if anyone there recognises him. I’ll bring you a copy too."

"Excellent," said Draco. "So, do you want to come back here tomorrow? Or shall I come to you?"

"Here’s fine," said Harry. "I want to see the sunset from your window, remember? What time will that be?"

"Pretty early," said Draco. "About four o’clock. But the sky will be pretty for a while after that, if you can’t come till later."

"No, four o’clock should be OK," said Harry. "I’m the boss, remember? But is that convenient for you?"

"It’s fine," said Draco. "I only have one meeting tomorrow, and that’s in the morning. Now, look – if you need to ask me anything before then, just owl me. And my Floo is open to you, so you can come through any time if you need to."

"Thank you, Draco," said Harry. "I appreciate all this. And I’ve enjoyed this evening. See you tomorrow!" They shook hands, and Harry stepped into the fireplace.

*******

At two minutes past four the next day, Harry stumbled back out of the fireplace, cursing as he brushed soot from his shirt sleeves. 

"Hello again," said Draco, who was sitting at the table working on his laptop. "Is everything OK? You look a bit frazzled."

"Sorry," said Harry. "I’m fine, really. I’m just tired. I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I lay in bed and my mind just wouldn’t stop whirring. D’you think it might be an effect of the curse?"

"I doubt it," said Draco. "It’s possible, of course, but so far I’ve never encountered a curse that does that. I think it’s much more likely that it’s a natural human reaction to everything that happened yesterday."

"Oh," said Harry, feeling slightly deflated. "Well, that’s depressing. I assume it means you don’t know some brilliant way to fix it?"

"Since it’s probably not curse-related, that’s exactly what it means," Draco confirmed. "Sorry. But there are various strategies that tend to help with naturally-occurring sleep problems. One of the best is exercise. How much exercise have you had today?"

"Hardly any," admitted Harry. "I didn’t even walk to the canteen – I got my assistant to bring me my lunch at my desk."

"Right then," said Draco firmly, standing. "My curse update can wait. We’re going out."

"For a walk? You think that’ll fix it?"

"No, you’re right," said Draco thoughtfully. "Walking might not be strenuous enough. … Have you ever been ice-skating?"

"Ice-skating? No," said Harry. "I always wanted to, when I was little, but they would never have let me. And I’ve never got round to trying it since. Is there a rink near here, then?"

"They have a temporary one at Spinningfields every Christmas," Draco told him. "It’s been open for the last few weeks, but I haven’t been yet this year. Are you up for it?"

Harry grinned, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. "Definitely," he said. "Have you got a jumper I can borrow, though? I could use a warming charm, but a jumper’s probably safer."

"Of course," said Draco, and vanished into the bedroom. He returned a moment later carrying two Fair Isle sweaters: the dark-blue-and-white one he’d been wearing the day before, and a mostly-green one, which he handed to Harry.

"Goes with your eyes," he explained, smiling. "OK, let’s go. Although if this turns out to be yet another of those things you’re just naturally brilliant at, I may go back to hating you just a little bit, FYI. It took me a long time to recover from witnessing your first ever time on a broom, damn you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ice-skating did not go as Draco had planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for 9th December: [Christmas lights](http://www.themudflats.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/christmaslights.jpg)
> 
> **Author's Notes:** The urban legend referred to is the fact that it’s a commonly-held belief among English people that Manchester United fans do not live in Manchester, and that all football fans who _do_ live in Manchester support Manchester City. Needless to say, this _really_ irritates the huge number of Manchester United fans who _do_ live in Manchester. It’s hardly their fault that their team is so famous that it has fans all over the world, is it? #bitofasorepoint

**Sia Maledetto – part 9**

Two hours later, they were wandering back along Deansgate. Harry was laughing; Draco wasn’t.

"I should have known," Draco was muttering. "That is _not_ how a first-ever skating session is supposed to go, just so you know. You’re supposed to be unable to turn or stop, apart from crashing violently into the side. You’re supposed to fall over a _lot_. And then the more experienced skater (that’s me, by the way, although that may well not have been clear to anyone watching) is supposed to take the beginner (that’s you, in case you’ve forgotten) by both hands and lead him slowly round the rink. It’s supposed to be _adorable_. Especially if both of them are wearing mittens, actually, but I didn’t think of that until we were already there. Just as well, because it would have been a total waste. Bloody typical."

"…. Sorry?" said Harry, trying to contain his laughter. "I didn’t do it on purpose, you know. And I did have a great time – thank you for taking me there. Although I do regret missing the opportunity for you to hold my hands."

Draco glanced at him. "Really?" he said, sounding uncertain. 

"Really," Harry reassured him. "And, in fact, it occurs to me that at least I can still do something about that, even if there are no mittens involved." He took hold of Draco’s right hand and intertwined their fingers. "Is this OK?" he asked, more quietly.

After a moment, Draco nodded without meeting Harry’s gaze, although Harry was delighted to notice a very slight flush on his cheeks. They walked along for a few minutes in a companionable silence, during which Harry was very conscious of the feel of Draco’s hand in his. He had always imagined Draco’s skin to be very cold, due to its paleness, but in fact the hand was surprisingly warm. (Harry chose not to analyse when and why he’d previously thought about the temperature of Draco’s skin.) It was just as smooth as he’d expected, though, and made Harry all the more conscious of the rough skin on his own hands.

"I love Manchester at this time of day," said Draco eventually. "Well, I love it all the time, actually, but I prefer it when there aren’t quite as many people bustling about, and there’s just a steady stream of cars passing, rather than gridlock all over the place."

"I know what you mean," Harry agreed. "London is rarely this peaceful, but it’s lovely when it is."

"I don’t mind crowds sometimes," said Draco. "Like at the Christmas markets, for example. They’re always so busy that it’s difficult to move, and I can’t stay there for long before I get claustrophobic, but I do love the buzz around them. And at Old Trafford, of course."

Harry stared at him. "You go to _football_?" he asked, incredulously. "Oh, no, wait. There’s a cricket ground too, isn’t there? I can picture you watching cricket."

"Cricket’s boring," Draco told him. "And Old Trafford cricket ground only holds a fraction of Old Trafford football ground’s capacity, in any case. Yes, I go to football. Not every week, because I don’t always have time, but I’m a member, and I get tickets when I can. It’s very exciting."

Harry was still trying to process this information. "So you’re a Manchester United fan? How did that come about?"

"Well, I do live in Manchester, and they’re the biggest local team. Do NOT say what I know you’re about to say," said Draco sternly. "It’s an urban legend, and it isn’t true, and it _really_ irritates most United fans." Harry closed his mouth guiltily.

"Anyway, I did go to watch City a couple of times, just to compare, but they just weren’t as good," Draco went on. "Although they’ve done a lot better recently. Makes everything even more exciting, when we have some proper local rivals."

"But how did you get into football in the first place?" Harry persevered.

"It’s hard not to in Manchester," said Draco. "The place is football-mad. It’s always on TVs in bars, and it’s hard not to get at least a bit excited if you’re in a bar when United score, and everyone just goes wild. After a while I became fascinated enough to watch it on TV at home, and from there it was a small step to going to games."

"I’ve never been to a football match," Harry admitted. "I’ve seen quite a few on TV, so I do know who the best teams are and stuff like that, but I’ve never really followed a team."

"I’ll have to take you to Old Trafford sometime," Draco promised. "There’s nowhere else quite like it. The only ground in the country that’s bigger is Wembley."

"I’ll look forward to that," said Harry, smiling.

"Tonight, though, there’s business to be discussed," said Draco. "And I still need to put up my Christmas lights. But first let’s get upstairs. I’ll heat up some soup before we talk, shall I? That should help you sleep later."

"That’d be great, thanks," said Harry.

*******

Half an hour later they were sitting at the dining table in Draco’s apartment, finishing the last of their leek and potato soup. The table was next to the window, and the night-time view over the city was spectacular. The glorious sunset which had been lighting up the sky before they went skating had been replaced by a dark, starry night, and they were high enough above the ground that the stars weren’t completely obliterated by the neon lights below. The Christmas lights now adorning the apartment were creating some competition, however: Harry had put them up while Draco was preparing the soup. 

"You can see Old Trafford from here, you know," said Draco. "Look, over there to the left. And those brightly-lit buildings to the right are the new BBC studios at Media City."

"I feel like we’re on top of the world," said Harry. "Anyway, I suppose we should talk about this stupid curse. Or whatever it is."

"Indeed," sad Draco. "Well, the good news is I’m as certain as I can be that it’s _not_ a wizarding curse. At least, if it is, it would have to be one that has only just been invented, and the number of people who can invent new curses is even smaller than the number who can do wandless magic."

"Can _you_ invent new curses?" asked Harry, curiously. 

"In theory I could, I think," said Draco. "But I’ve never needed to. And, before you ask, no, I can’t do wandless magic. And yes, I know _you_ can, Mister Multiple Prodigy."

Harry grinned. "So you don’t think I’m in any danger from the curse?" he asked.

"Exactly," said Draco. "But I’d like to be totally sure. Do you have the memory of the attack?"

Harry handed over a small phial, and Draco brought a Pensieve out of a wardrobe and set it on the table. "I’ve seen this guy before," he said, a couple of minutes later. 

"Who is he?" asked Harry eagerly.

"I don’t know his name," Draco admitted. "But I’ve definitely seen him. And the Italian connection is making me wonder if he might be a friend or relative of Blaise. I haven’t seen Blaise in a few years, but I could make enquiries to find out where he is."

"No need," Harry told him tersely. "I know where he is. Ron arrested him on Saturday."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What has Blaise done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author's Notes:** Eek! Very short one tonight, sorry, because I fell asleep and only woke half an hour before the deadline :-)
> 
> Prompt for 10th December: [Candles](http://www.walltowallstencils.com/projects/gr/christmas/christmas.jpg)

**Sia Maledetto – part 10**

"Arrested him? Why, what did he do?" 

"Possibly nothing," said Harry. "But it doesn’t look good. There was an explosion in which several houses were destroyed, and Blaise was found searching through the rubble. He claims he had nothing to do with the explosion, but he refuses to say why he was there or what he was searching for. He’s being kept in custody for further questioning, but we’ll have to let him go if we can’t find any evidence soon, even though we have no other suspects."

"I see," said Draco. "That _is_ odd. I wonder if… Look, d’you want me to try and talk to him? He might tell me something he wouldn’t tell you. And I need to ask him about your attacker in any case."

"Well, it can’t hurt, I don’t think," said Harry. "It would have to be official, though – you’d have to make it clear that you were working with me."

"Of course," said Draco.

"And we’d better check with Ron first – it’s his case. D’you want to come with me? He should be home now."

Draco nodded, and a few minutes later they were both in Ron’s living room, with Harry, as usual, trying to brush soot from his sleeves. The room was tastefully decorated: the lights on a small Christmas tree glowed in a corner, and there was tinsel artfully draped around the edges of the room. In an alcove, four candles illuminated a wall with a few Christmas cards affixed to it.

Ron Weasley was standing in the doorway. "What’s _he_ doing here?" he demanded.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luckily Ron has grown up a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author's Notes:** Well, I’ve already failed the challenge… it was always likely to be a Wednesday when that happened, because Wednesdays are very long days for me! Oh well. But I plan to keep going anyway, because I need deadlines to make me do anything! And I am determined not to cheat… so I haven’t looked at the prompt for day 12 yet, even though it was available before I wrote this. This is another short one, because I’m on a train on my way to Lancaster, but Part 12 is likely to be much longer, and will be posted later today.
> 
> Prompt for 11th December: [Red-headed child, mesmerised](http://queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com/wp/docs/2012/12/Redheaded_child_mesmerized_3.jpg)

**Sia Maledetto – part 11**

"Oh, stop it, Ron," said Hermione, coming into the room holding a small ginger-headed child by the hand. The boy seemed totally fascinated by Harry and Draco, staring at them with wide eyes and an open mouth. "I told you Draco was helping Harry with this curse thing. Be polite."

"Hello, Hugo," said Harry, grinning. He picked the boy up and swung him round, causing Hugo to burst into giggles. Hermione smiled, and after a moment so did Ron.

"Sorry," he said. "Old habits die hard. Welcome to our home, Malfoy. How are you?"

"I’m well, thank you," said Draco, holding out his hand. "And please call me Draco."

"I’ll try," said Ron, shaking hands before tickling his son, who squirmed delightedly in Harry’s arms. Harry smiled gratefully at Ron.

"Go through to the kitchen," said Hermione. "I just need to put Hugo to bed, and then I’ll join you."

"Night-night, Hugo," said Harry, handing him back to Hermione with a kiss on the forehead. Hugo got another kiss from Ron, and an unexpected tickle from Draco, and then left the room with his mother.

"Come on, then," said Ron. "I’ll put the kettle on. So, have you found anything out?"  



	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco has bought Harry a present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author's Notes:** So much for good intentions… All the trains through Lancaster were delayed when I tried to get home on Thursday night, and the journey took four hours, and by the time I got home I was too tired to do anything, and the last few days have been too busy for me to catch up! This part’s a bit longer, and I hope to have time to do a couple more tomorrow. (I haven’t looked at any of the prompts for days 13-16, because I want to try and do this properly even though I’ve already failed the actual challenge.) 
> 
> The amulet mentioned at the end is a [cornicello](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornicello).
> 
> Prompt for 12th December: [Double dragon pendant](http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/4/7/3/3/6/5/webimg/620011877_o.jpg)

**Sia Maledetto – part 12**

Harry and Draco followed Ron into the kitchen and sat at the table while Ron busied himself making drinks. "We have made a bit of progress, yes," Harry told him. "Draco’s pretty sure that it’s not an actual magical curse, so it shouldn’t do any harm, but we want to track down that bloke just in case. And I showed Draco the memory, and he thinks he’s seen the bloke before."

"I’m not sure where," said Draco, at Ron’s expectant look. "And it was a while ago. But I was wondering if it might have been at one of Blaise’s parties, and Harry told me that you’ve got Blaise in custody."

"Yeah, that’s a weird one," said Ron. "To be honest, my gut feeling is that he’s telling the truth and he _didn’t_ have anything to do with the explosion, but if that’s the case then I don’t understand why he won’t tell us what he was doing there."

"Was anyone hurt?" asked Draco.

"Not as far as we can tell," said Ron. "But three houses were totally destroyed in the blast, and several more have quite a bit of damage, and the owners are all obviously demanding to know who to blame. It’s very lucky that it happened on a Saturday afternoon and they were all out shopping."

"It _is_ lucky – lucky that they’re all stupid enough to go shopping on a Saturday afternoon," said Hermione, who’d rejoined them as Ron was speaking. "I can’t think of a more unpleasant time to go shopping."

Harry laughed. "Can’t argue with that," he said. "Anyway, I take it Zabini’s still not talking?" At Ron’s headshake, he went on, "What d’you think about getting Draco to talk to him? He might open up a bit more to him. And Draco wants to ask him about my attacker, too."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, and Hermione shrugged. "Hmm," said Ron. "Might be worth a go. It’d have to be clear that it would all be reported to us afterwards, though."

"Understood," said Draco. "He might still not talk if I tell him that, of course. But you never know. I mainly want to show him the guy who attacked Harry."

"Fair enough," said Ron. "Would you mind if we wait till the morning, though? I’d prefer to be there, and I was looking forward to a nice relaxing evening with Hermione tonight. We haven’t had many of those lately, and it already got cut short tonight by Hugo feeling poorly."

"I _thought_ it was a bit past his bedtime," said Harry, concerned. "Is he OK?"

"I think so," said Hermione. "Just a bit of indigestion. You know how he always eats too fast."

"And how’s the other one?" asked Draco. "Rose, isn’t it?"

"She’s fine, thank you," said Hermione proudly. "She’s seven now, and doing very well at school. She’s started devouring my library."

"Obviously she gets that from me," said Ron.

"Obviously," Harry agreed, grinning and standing up. "Anyway, we’ll leave you to it. See you in the morning. What time shall we ask Draco to come in? Nineish?"

"Nineish sounds fine," said Ron. "Better not leave it much later, anyway, because if we haven’t found any evidence by two o’clock we’ll have to release him. Our three days expire then."

"I’ll do my best to help," said Draco. "Goodnight, Weasleys."

"Goodnight," chorused Ron and Hermione, as Draco followed Harry out of the room and back to the fireplace.

*******

"So when _did_ you last talk to Blaise?" asked Harry, as they stepped back into Draco’s forty-sixth-floor apartment. 

"I think… it was at a New Year’s Eve party," Draco said, considering. "Two or three years ago. No, wait it was definitely three. It was 2010, because I remember talking to him about the World Cup."

"You’re not telling me he’s a football fan as well?" 

Draco laughed. "Sadly not," he said. "I was trying to explain to him why _I_ am. He didn’t really understand, though."

"You haven’t really kept in touch with him since school, then, I’m gathering?" said Harry. "That surprises me – you used to be quite close, didn’t you?"

"We did, but I’ve hardly seen him since the war," said Draco. "He and his mother went to live in Italy as soon as they found out they hadn’t been charged with any war crimes, and I was a bit unimpressed that he didn’t contact me to see how my trial went. So I didn’t contact him either, and it all was a bit awkward the next time I saw him, at some event or other, especially as we didn’t really get a chance to talk properly. But then a few months later we bumped into each other again, and cleared the air. And every time I’ve seen him since it’s been fine, even though that’s been less and less frequent."

"So you think he might talk to you tomorrow, then?"

"I hope so. At the very least, I’m confident he’ll tell me who this bloke is, anyway."

"Well, that’ll be something. Right, I suppose I’d better go. I need to try and sleep. See you at the Ministry at nineish?"

"Sure. Oh, wait! I almost forgot!" Draco hurried out of the room and returned with a small paper bag. "I got this for you," he said. 

Harry took the bag curiously. "What is it?" he asked.

"Open it and see, dummy."

It appeared to be a gold pendant on a chain, shaped like a horn. Harry looked at Draco, puzzled. "It’s lovely, but…?"

"These amulets are very popular in Italy," Draco told him. "People wear them to ward off the evil eye. It’s mostly just a tradition these days – I’m not sure how many of them really believe in it – but I saw this on a stall today at one of the Christmas markets, and I thought of you. It’s a bit of a silly idea, really. I won’t be offended if you don’t want to wear it." He seemed suddenly flustered.

Harry smiled. "Of course I’ll wear it," he said. "No-one’s ever bought me any jewellery before! Thank you, it’s a lovely thought. And maybe it will actually protect me against this mysterious non-curse – who knows? There’s only one problem, though."

Draco looked at him quizzically. "I’m already wearing a pendant," said Harry, removing it from inside his shirt. It was a silver dagger, with a dragon attached to each side and a ruby in the hilt. "I saw it in a shop a few years ago and thought it was really cool. Maybe… Can I give it to you? Would you wear it?"

"I’d be delighted," said Draco, putting it on with a smile. "It _is_ my name, after all. Thank you."

"I never thought of that! Of course it is! Wow, I’m so thick," said Harry. He looked at the golden horn pendant for a moment before putting it on. "Thank you for this, too," he said. "It’s really thoughtful of you. I love it."

"I hope it helps you sleep," said Draco. "You never know."

"You never know," agreed Harry. "Goodnight, Draco." He stepped into the fireplace as Draco said "Goodnight, Harry."


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next day, at the Ministry...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for day 13: [Christmas presents](http://braininjuryma.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/bigstock-christmas-cheer-1131226.jpg)
> 
> **Author's Notes:** Sorry for the long gap. Other things got in the way! I _will_ finish this, though… hopefully within the next few days.

**Sia Maledetto – part 13**

At three minutes past nine the following morning, Harry was sitting in his office yawning when his assistant knocked on the open door. 

"Mr Draco Malfoy to see you," she said. "And you look as if you need more coffee. I’ll bring some in. Or would Mr Malfoy prefer tea?"

"Coffee would be lovely, thank you," said Draco, when she turned to him. 

"Thanks, Helen," said Harry.

"You _do_ look tired," commented Draco, as Helen left the room. He sat down opposite Harry. "Couldn’t sleep again?"

"Not a wink," said Harry. "I decided to get up and read a book in the end, but I couldn’t concentrate. Then I tried watching the telly, but that didn’t work either, because I couldn’t keep my eyes open. So I thought I _must_ be able to sleep, but when I went back to bed I still couldn’t. I just lay there with my eyes shut until it was time to come to work."

"Hmm," said Draco. "Have you tried any potions?"

"No, I haven’t got any sleeping potions," said Harry. "I’ve never had trouble sleeping before. Isn’t there a danger of getting dependent on them?"

"Yes, so you should only ever use them in the short term," Draco told him. "I think you should take one tonight. I’ll bring you one from my stores."

"Thank you," said Harry. "I’m sure I’ll be fine, though. I’m bound to sleep tonight. Oh, thank you, Helen. You’re a life-saver."

His assistant nodded as she placed a tray of coffee and biscuits on the desk, before leaving the room again and closing the door behind her. 

"We thought that _last_ night, though," commented Draco, pouring them both a cup of coffee and handing one to Harry. "It won’t hurt to take a potion for one night. But not sleeping for three consecutive nights _will_ be harmful."

"Well, OK. I’m not promising I’ll take it, but if you give me the potion I’ll think about it," said Harry. "You still think it’s nothing to do with the curse?"

"I do," Draco confirmed. "I think it’s the result of a build-up of stress and overwork. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. And one thing that may well help is solving the mystery of this curse. What’s the latest on Blaise?"

"He’s still not talking," said Harry. "We haven’t told him you’re coming, mind you – I thought I’d better check that you were still willing to try talking to him."

"Of course I am," said Draco. "I can’t promise it’ll work, but it can’t hurt to try. How do you suggest we do it?"

"I was thinking that you and I could both go in together at first, so that he can see that we’re comfortable with each other. Then I’ll tell him the truth – that you want to ask him about something unrelated, but that you’d also like to know about the explosion if he feels he can tell you. I’ll explain that, if he prefers, he can talk to you alone, but he needs to understand that the conversation will still be recorded so that Ron and I can see and hear it afterwards. How does that sound?"

"Reasonable," said Draco. "We’ll just have to wait and see whether or not he agrees. I suppose that, if he doesn’t, we’re no worse off than we were before."

"Exactly," said Harry firmly, standing and draining his cup. "Drink up. No time like the present."

*******

Harry led Draco down to the Atrium, where they passed a huge Christmas tree with a few carefully-wrapped presents underneath. 

"The Secret Santa presents for the Ministry staff," explained Harry. "They’re not being given out until Christmas Eve. Looks as if some people have been ridiculously organised. It’s only the third of December!"

"Who have you got?" asked Draco. 

"Huh, I haven’t actually looked yet," Harry realised. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and removed its contents. "Oh, that’s good. I know what to get for Doug. He’s one of the security guys, and he’s mad about Quidditch," he explained, at Draco’s enquiring glance.

Draco nodded. "I’m confused, though," he said. "Where are we going? I thought the detention area was near the courtrooms, so we got out of the lift too early, didn’t we?"

"There’ve been a few changes since you were last in one of those courtrooms," Harry told him. "I thought it was a bit silly that the lift didn’t go down to that level, so I tried to get it extended when I became the boss. But it turned out there was some physical reason why they’d stopped at level nine, and there was no getting round it. So I persuaded them to build another lift. This one just connects the Atrium to the courtroom level."

"Must be nice to have the power to actually improve things," commented Draco as they got into the second lift. "And a refreshing change for you. It’s not as if you’ve ever done anything else to make people’s lives better, is it?" His eyes were twinkling as Harry punched him lightly on the arm. 

"You’re a sarky git," said Harry. " _That’s_ refreshing. There aren’t enough people around here who’d dare to say stuff like that to me."

"I promise to do my best to be as rude as possible to you, in that case," said Draco solemnly. 

Harry grinned. "I knew I could count on you," he said. They left the lift and turned a corner, and found Ron in discussion with several other scarlet-robed Aurors. Ron’s robes clashed horribly with his hair, and Harry suspected Draco must be biting his lip in an effort to refrain from commenting.

Harry quickly explained the plan to the group, and a minute later he and Draco were in a cell, with Ron closing the door behind them after ushering them in.

"Hello, Blaise," said Draco.


End file.
